The Cubs’ biggest headache is still the bullpen, but Dansby Swanson is moving closer to giving them a boost where they’ve been steadier: defense and infield alignment.
Swanson has been out since suffering an oblique strain on August 16, and Chicago initially set a four-to-six week recovery window. At the time, the expectation was that he might just make it back in time for the playoffs. Now, the timeline looks a little more favorable than that.
Craig Counsell said Tuesday that Swanson could be in games next week, although it isn’t clear whether that would come in a minor-league rehab assignment or with the Cubs. The most likely path would be a rehab stint before Swanson rejoins the club for the final week and a half of the regular season.
The wrinkle is the calendar: the Double-A and Triple-A regular seasons end on Sunday. Another possibility is that Swanson gets his work in through simulated games at the Cubs’ spring training facility in Arizona.
His absence has been felt, even with Nico Hoerner handling shortstop well in the meantime. Hoerner has done a good job filling in, but the Cubs are at their best with Swanson at shortstop and Hoerner at second base.
Swanson’s return would also ripple through the rest of the roster. Pedro Ramirez and Matt Shaw would slide back into utility roles, and Shaw could even see starts in left field, especially against left-handed pitchers, as the Cubs move through the stretch run and into the playoffs.
That gives Counsell more choices on the position-player side. It’s still a much different story on the pitching staff, where the bullpen remains the far bigger concern. If Chicago doesn’t sort that out before the regular season ends, the postseason may not last long.
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